Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard

Super Étendard
A Super Étendard performs a touch-and-go landing on the flight deck of the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74).
Role	Attack aircraft
Manufacturer	Dassault-Breguet
First flight	28 October 1974
Introduced	June 1978
Status	Active
Primary users	French Navy Argentine Navy Iraqi Air Force
Produced	1977–1983
Number built	85
Developed from	Dassault Étendard IV

The Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard (French for "battle flag") is a French carrier-borne strike fighter aircraft designed for service with the French Navy. The aircraft entered service in June 1978 and was first used in combat by Argentina during the 1982 Falklands War.

Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 2.1 Argentina 2.2 France 2.3 Iraq 3 Operators 4 Accidents and incidents 4.1 Argentina 4.2 France 5 Specifications

Design and development

The Super Étendard is a development of the earlier Étendard IVM that was originally to have been replaced by a navalised version of the SEPECAT Jaguar (the Jaguar M), until this plan was stalled by political problems, together with problems with operating the Jaguar aboard ships, including the inability to land back on a carrier after an engine failure. Instead, Dassault proposed an improved version of the Étendard IVM, with a more powerful engine, a new wing and improved avionics. This proposal was accepted by the French Navy in 1973 as the Super Étendard.^[1]
The Super Étendard is a small, single-engined, mid-winged aircraft with an all metal structure. Both the wings and tailplane are swept, with the folding wings having a sweepback of about 45 degrees, while the aircraft is powered by a non-afterburning SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojet with a rating of 49 kN (11,025 lbf). It is fitted with a Thomson-CSF Agave radar, closely integrated with the new air-launched version of Aérospatiale's anti-shipping missile, the AM 39 Exocet, which forms the main anti-ship armament of the aircraft. French Étendards could also carry tactical nuclear weapons.^[1][2]
The first of three prototypes, a IVM modified with the new engine and some of the new avionics,^[1] made its maiden flight on 28 October 1974.^[3] The French Navy initially ordered 60 of the new model, with options for a further 20, but budget cuts lead to only 71 being purchased in the end, with deliveries starting in June 1978, while the Argentinian Navy ordered a further 14.^[3] Production was completed in 1983.^[4]

Operational history

Argentina

2nd Sqd insignia

The Argentine Naval Aviation decided to buy 14 Super Étendards in 1980, after the United States put an arms embargo in place—due to the Dirty War—and refused to supply spare parts for their A-4Q Skyhawks. Assigned to 2nd Naval Air Fighter/Attack Squadron, Argentine pilots used French flight trainers between November 1980 and August 1981 in France, but at the time of the Falklands War, they had received only 45 hours of actual flight time in the aircraft.^[5] Between August and November 1981, five Super Étendards and five Exocets were shipped to Argentina. All five of the missiles were used during the conflict, with one missile hitting the British destroyer HMS Sheffield and two the merchant aircraft transporter Atlantic Conveyor. Two missiles were used in each of those attacks.

Touch and go on USS Ronald Reagan

The fifth missile was launched in an attack intended to strike against the British aircraft carrier HMS Invincible but the attacking aircraft failed to find their target.^[6] (A sixth Exocet, which was fired from an improvised land based launcher failed to acquire a target, but the seventh missile hit and the warhead detonated causing casualties and damage to HMS Glamorgan. This launcher was designed by Argentine technicians.^[7])
Once the conflict was over, Super Etendards performed qualifications on aircraft carrier ARA 25 de Mayo until the ship's final retirement ^[8] From 2001, qualifications are made on Brazilian Navy carrier São Paulo ^[9] and/or touch-and-go on US Navy carriers during Gringo-Gaucho maneuvers when they are in transit within Argentine coastal waters.^[10]
As of 2010, Argentine Super Étendards are still in service ^[11] and French cooperation to upgrade the aircraft was announced.^[12][13]

France

Deliveries of the Super Étendard to the French Navy started in 1978, with the first squadron, Flotille 11F becoming operational in February 1979. In total, three operational squadrons and a training unit were equipped with the Super Étendard.^[1]
The first operational missions took place in Lebanon during Operation Olifant. On 22 September 1983, French Navy Super Étendards operating from the aircraft carrier Foch bombed and destroyed Syrian forces positions after a few artillery rounds were fired at the French peace keepers.^[14] On 17 November 1983, the same airplanes attacked and destroyed a Hizbollah training camp in Baalbeck after a terrorist attack on French paratroopers in Beirut.

Launch from Charles de Gaulle

France's Super Étendards were modified to carry the ramjet powered Air-Sol Moyenne Portée air-launched nuclear missile.^[1] From 1991, the original Étendard IVMs were withdrawn from French service,^[15] (although the reconnaissance version of the Étendard IV, the IVP remained in service until July 2000^[16]) and the Super Étendards underwent a series of upgrades throughout the 1990s to better suit them to modern warfare. These modifications included a new Thomson-CSF Anemone radar, with nearly twice the range of the previous Agave radar, the ability to carry and target the latest generation of laser-guided bombs and missiles, improved self defence ECM systems and the ability to carry a reconnaissance pod.^[17] These uprated aircraft, designated Super Étendard Modernisé (SEM) participated in NATO's Allied Force operations over Serbia in 1999, flying over 400 combat missions with 73% of the assigned objectives destroyed : the best performance of all the air forces involved in the missions over Serbia. The SEM also flew strike missions in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Operation Héraclès starting 21 November 2001 saw the deployment of the Charles de Gaulle and its Super Étendard in Afghanistan. Operation Anaconda, starting on 2 March 2002 saw extensive use of the Super Étendard in support of French and allied ground troops. Super Étendard's returned to operations over Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008. One of their main roles was to carry laser designation pods to illuminate targets for Dassault Rafales.^[18]
All Super Étendards are expected to be retired from French service by 2015, to be replaced from 2006 onwards with Dassault's Rafale M.^{[citation needed]}

Iraq

Five Super Étendards were loaned to Iraq in 1983 while the country waited for deliveries of Agave equipped Dassault Mirage F1s capable of launching Exocet missiles that had been ordered, arriving in Iraq on 8 October 1983.^[19] These aircraft used Exocets with some success against shipping (particularly tankers) sailing to and from Iranian ports, 51 attacks in total in the Persian Gulf before being returned to France in 1985.^{[citation needed]} At least two were shot down during the spring and summer of 1984 by Iranian F-14s, while Iran claims to have shot down a third one. Of the two aircraft destroyed one was indeed shot down, the other was only damaged but crashed whilst trying to return to base. Only three aircraft were returned to France.^[20]

Operators

Argentine Navy's Super Étendard

 Argentina

• Argentine Naval Aviation received 14 aircraft, eleven are still in service.

 France

• Aviation Navale received 71 aircraft, all are to be replaced by the Rafale M.

 Iraq

• Iraqi Air Force was lent five French aircraft between 1983 and 1985. Only three returned.

Accidents and incidents

Argentina

• 1 August 1989, 0760 3-A-210. Pilot Lt Carlos Manchinelli died.
• 11 December 1989, 0762 3-A-212. Engine stopped. Pilot Lt Félix Médici ejected safely.
• 29 May 1993, 0754 3-A-203 ^{( Falklands veteran aircraft )}. Pilot Lt Sergio Marquez died.

France

• On 27 May 1982, a Super Étendard crashed off the coast of Toulon; the pilot was killed.
• In September 1986, a Super Étendard crashed into the Mediterranean Sea; the pilot ejected.
• During the night of 2 April 1987, a Super Étendard disappeared during a training flight north of the Île Vierge lighthouse off the northwestern coast of Brittany. Neither the aircraft nor the pilot were found.^{[21][verification needed]}
• In July 1987, a Super Étendard crashed in a forest in Ille-et-Vilaine; the pilot ejected.
• During the night of 17 July 1988, Super Étendard 54^[specify] crashed during a carrier landing on the French aircraft carrier Clemenceau; the pilot was killed.
• On 31 May 1990, a Super Étendard pilot ejected 110 km off the coast of Hyères. He was rescued by a Dauphin helicopter from the French Navy's squadron 23S^[22]
• On 27 March 1994, Super Étendard 5 from the French Navy's flotilla 11F crashed in the Adriatic Sea; the pilot was rescued from the water by a helicopter from squadron 23S.^[22]
• On 26 January 1996, a Super Étendard crashed off the coast of La Ciotat; the pilot ejected.
• On 14 April 2004, Super Étendard Modernisé 35 from the French Navy's flotilla 17F missed a landing on the French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle, crashing on the runway; the pilot was unharmed.^[23]
• On 7 December 2005, Super Étendard Modernisé 45 from the French Navy's flotilla 11F (registered F-XCKA) was lost at sea in the Gulf of Ajaccio after its engine ingested a bird. The pilot ejected and was only mildly injured.^[24][25]
• On 21 March 2006, a bird shattered the canopy of Super Étendard Modernisé 3 from the French Navy's flotilla 11F, over Pontorson. The pilot made a forced landing in a field in Dinard.^[26]
• On August 24, 2006, around 18:30 (local time), Super Étendard Modernisé 43 from the French Navy's flotilla 11F landed hard at BAN Landivisiau and was damaged; there were no injuries.^[27]
• On 21 March 2008, a Super Étendard Modernisé from the French Navy's flotilla 17F was lost at sea south of Cavalaire-sur-Mer during a training flight. The pilot ejected safely.^[28]
• On 1 October 2008, at 17:10 (local time), two Super Étendards Modernisés (numbers 38 and 49) from the French Navy's flotilla 11F collided over the bay of Lannion, about 27 km north of Morlaix. They were conducting a training flight originating from BAN Landivisiau. Both pilots ejected, but only one was rescued alive.^[29] The minesweeper Lyre (M648) was not able to locate the wreckage in over 60 m of water, and the rescue attempts for the second downed pilot (lieutenant de vaisseau Sébastien Lhéritier) were called off the next day at noon.^[30] On October 17, wreckage and the missing pilot's body were found 20 km north of Île de Batz with the assistance of robotic submersibles.^[31][32]

Specifications

External images
Super Etendard
	Older Etendards and Super Etendards on FOCH
	Two Super Etendards lining up at catapults
	Super Etendard being hooked up to catapult
	Moments before catapult is fired
	Super Etendard making practice carrier landing
	Super Etendard making a practice landing
	French Navy Super Etendard test firing AM39
	AM39 mounted on French Navy Super Etendard
	French Navy Super Etendard AM39 just before launch from carrier
	First test flight of Super Etendard with AM39 Exocet. Note electronic pod under fuselage required for AM39 missions
	Super Etendard of Former Iraqi Air Force (good and rare picture)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982-83 ^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 14.31 m (45 ft 11½ in)
• Wingspan: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
• Height: 3.86 m (12 ft 8 in)
• Wing area: 28.4 m² (306.7 ft²)
• Empty weight: 6,500 kg (14,330 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 12,000 kg (26,455 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× SNECMA Atar 8K-50 turbojet, 49.0 kN (11,025 lbf)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 1,180 km/h (637 knots, 733 mph) at low level
• Range: 1,820 km^[33] (983 nmi, 1,130 mi)
• Combat radius: 850 km (460 nmi, 530 mi) with one AM39 Exocet missile one wing pylon and one drop tank on opposite pylon, hi-lo-hi profile
• Service ceiling: 13,700 m (44,900 ft)
• Rate of climb: 100 m/s^[34] (19,700 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 423 kg/m² (86.3 lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.42

Armament

• Guns: 2× 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA 552 cannons with 125 rounds per gun
• Hardpoints: 4× underwing and 2× under-fuselage with a capacity of 2,100 kg (4,600 lb) maximum
• Rockets: 4× Matra rocket pods with 18× SNEB 68 mm rockets each
• Missiles:
  
  • 1× AM-39 Exocets Anti-shipping missile or
  • 1× Air-Sol Moyenne Portée nuclear armed missile or
  • 2× AS-30L or
  • 2× Matra Magic Air-to-air missile
• Bombs: Conventional unguided or laser-guided bombs, provision for 1 × AN-52 free-fall nuclear bomb, provision for "buddy" air refuelling pod^[35]

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Dassault Étendard VI

Dassault Étendard VI
Role	Prototype fighter aircraft
Manufacturer	Dassault Aviation
Status	Did not enter mass-production
Primary user	French Air Force
Developed into	Dassault Étendard IV

The Dassault Étendard VI was a French prototype fighter aircraft initially developed as part of a NATO competition to find a standard fighter to serve amongst member air forces. Dassault took advantage of the fact that the French Air Force had issued a requirement around the same time for a new fighter-bomber and developed aircraft in parallel as variations of the same design concept for the two prospective customers.
Originally designated Mystère XXVI, the aircraft was accepted as one of the entrants to be developed to prototype stage for a fly-off with competing designs. It fared well in test flights, but was out-performed by the Aeritalia G.91 that was eventually selected as the winner of the competition.
A further development of the Étendard concept, the Étendard IV was successfully developed for French Navy service.

Specifications (Dassault Étendard VI)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 10.85 m (34 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 8.30 m (26 ft 7 in)
• Height: 3.76 m (12 ft)
• Wing area: 23 m² (250 ft²)
• Empty weight: 3,720 kg (8,200 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 5,860 kg (12,900 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Bristol-Siddeley Orpheus turbojet, 21.6 kN (4,850 lbf)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 912 km/h (492 knots, 567 mph)
• Range: 890 km (480 NM, 550 mi)
• Service ceiling: 13,400 m (44,000 ft)
• Wing loading: 255 kg/m² (51 lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.38

Armament

• Guns:
  
  • 2× 30 mm (1.18 in) cannon or
  • 4× 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine guns
• Bombs: 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) of bombs and rockets

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Dassault Étendard IV

Étendard IV
Role	Strike fighter
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Dassault Aviation
First flight	1958
Introduced	1962
Retired	1991
Status	Some IVPs still in service
Primary user	French Navy
Number built	90
Variants	Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard

The Dassault Étendard IV is a supersonic carrier-borne "strike" fighter aircraft designed for service with the French Navy.

Contents 1 Design and development 2 Variants 3 Operators 4 Specifications (Dassault Étendard IVM)

Design and development

The Étendard's history begins with two design requirements in the early 1950s. One was for a light jet fighter for the French Air Force, the other for a light fighter to serve as standard equipment with NATO air forces. Dassault used variations of the same basic design to produce prototypes for both these specifications, designated the Étendard II and Étendard VI respectively, neither of which led to any orders. At the same time, the company evolved a larger and more powerful variant (originally designated Mystère XXIV) as a private venture.
Able to generate interest from the Navy, Dassault built a prototype navalised version, first demonstrated to the service in 1958 and which resulted in an order for 69 fighter aircraft, designated Étendard IVM and 21 reconnaissance versions designated Étendard IVP. From 1962, these began to be deployed aboard the new French Clemenceau class aircraft carriers.
Performance of the Étendard IV was never spectacular, in the low supersonic range at altitude. It could reach Mach 1.3 at 11,000 meters and Mach 0.97 at low altitude. In the 1970s it was clear that a replacement should be sought. For some time, this was hoped to be a navalised version of the SEPECAT Jaguar, the Jaguar M, but as the various political problems of the joint Anglo-French effort dragged out development, Dassault stepped in with an uprated version of the Étendard, dubbed Super Étendard. The last of the original Étendard IVMs were withdrawn in 1991, although a handful of IVPs remain operational in 2004.

Variants

• Etendard IVB : One prototype fitted with an Atar 51 engine and blown flaps.
• Etendard IVM : Single-seat strike fighter aircraft for the French Navy.
• Etendard IVP : Single-seat reconnaissance aircraft for the French Navy.

Operators

 France

• French Navy Aviation Navale

Specifications (Dassault Étendard IVM)

Etendard IVM on display at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 14.40 m (47 ft 3 in)
• Wingspan: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
• Height: 3.79 m (12 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 29 m² (312 ft²)
• Empty weight: 5,900 kg (13,000 lb)
• Loaded weight: 8,170 kg (18,010 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 10,200 kg (22,500 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× SNECMA Atar 8B turbojet, 43.16 kN (9,703 lbf)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 1,099 km/h (593 knots, 683 mph)
• Range: 3,300 km (1,800 NM, 2,100 mi)
• Service ceiling: 15,500 m (50,900 ft)
• Rate of climb: 100 m/s (19,700 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 282 kg/m² (57 lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.54

Armament

• Guns: 2× 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA 552 cannons with 150 rounds per gun
• Rockets: 2× Matra rocket pods with 18× SNEB 68 mm rockets each
• Bombs: 1,360 kg (3,000 lb) of payload on four external hardpoints, including a variety of bombs or Drop tanks

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Dassault Étendard II

Dassault Étendard II
Role	Prototype fighter aircraft
Manufacturer	Dassault
First flight	1956-07-23
Primary user	French Air Force
Number built	1
Developed into	Dassault Étendard IV

The Dassault Étendard II was a French prototype fighter aircraft initially developed as a follow-on project to the Dassault Mystère series. It was presented to the French Air Force for evaluation but was rejected in favour of the Dassault Mirage III.
Originally designated Mystère XXII, the aircraft was developed in response to a French Air Force requirement for a light, jet-powered fighter-bomber. At around the same time, a NATO requirement was circulated, also calling for a light strike-fighter, and Dassault developed a very similar aircraft in parallel for that competition (the Étendard VI).
The sole prototype of the Étendard II flew on July 23, 1956 but proved to be somewhat underpowered and showed nothing like the promise of the Mirage series and was quickly abandoned.
A further development of the Étendard concept, the Étendard IV was successfully developed for French Navy service.

Specifications (Dassault Étendard II)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 12.89 m (41 ft 3 in)
• Wingspan: 8.74 m (27 ft 11 in)
• Height: 3.80 m (12 ft 2 in)
• Wing area: 24.2 m² (248 ft²)
• Empty weight: 4,210 kg (9,280 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 5,650 kg (12,500 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Turboméca Gabizo turbojets, 18.4 kN (4,140 lbf) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 1,054 km/h (569 knots, 655 mph)
• Range: 1,100 km (594 nm, 680 mi)
• Service ceiling: 15,000 m (48,000 ft)
• Wing loading: 233 kg/m² (50 lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.33

Armament

• Guns: 2× 30 mm (1.18 in) cannon
• Bombs: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) of bombs and rockets

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Dassault Super Mystère

Super Mystère
Role	Fighter-bomber
Manufacturer	Dassault Aviation
First flight	2 March 1955
Retired	1977 (French Air Force)
Status	Not Active
Primary users	French Air Force Israeli Air Force Military of Honduras
Produced	1956-????
Number built	180

The Dassault Super Mystère was a French fighter-bomber, the first Western European supersonic aircraft to enter mass production.

Contents 1 Development 2 Operational history 3 Operators 4 Specifications (Super Mystère B.2)

Development

The Super Mystère represents the final step in evolution which began with the Dassault Ouragan and progressed through the Mystère II/III and Mystère IV. While earlier Mystère variants could attain supersonic speeds only in a dive, the Super Mystère could exceed the speed of sound in level flight. This was achieved thanks to the new thin wing with 45° of sweep (compared with 41° of sweep in the Mystère IV and only 33° in Mystère II) and the use of an afterburner-equipped turbojet engine.
The first prototype Super Mystère B.1, powered by a Rolls-Royce Avon RA.7R, took to the air on March 2, 1955. The aircraft broke the sound barrier in level flight the following day. The aircraft entered production in 1957 as the Super Mystère B.2. The production version differed from the prototype by having a more powerful SNECMA Atar 101G engine. In 1958, two Super Mystère B.4 prototypes were built. Equipped with a new 48° swept wing and a more powerful SNECMA Atar 9B engine, the aircrafts were capable of Mach 1.4. Production never materialized because the faster Dassault Mirage III was entering service. In 1973, the Israeli Air Force upgraded their Super Mystère B.2s with a non-afterburning version of the Pratt & Whitney J52-P8A and new avionics.
A total of 180 Super Mystère B.2s were built.

Operational history

The Super Mystère served with the French Air Force until 1977. In addition, 36 aircraft were sold to the Israeli Air Force in 1958. The aircraft saw action in the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War. They were well-liked by the Israeli pilots and were a match for the Arab MiG-19 aircraft in air-to-air combat.
In 1976, Israel sold 12 complete airframes to Honduras. In 1979, 4 more complete airframes were purchased by the Hondurans, totaling 16 aircraft. They were involved in numerous border skirmishes with Sandinista Nicaragua and were finally withdrawn from service in 1996 replaced by 12 Northrop F-5Es. The 11 surviving aircraft are for sale as surplus and 1 more is preserved at the Honduras Air Museum.

Operators

former Super Mystère Operators

Two Super Mystere B.2 aircraft of the Honduran Air Force (1988)

Super Mystere at the Israeli Air Force Museim in Hatzerim

 France

• French Air Force

 Honduras

• Honduras Air Force^[1]

 Israel

• Israeli Air Force
  • 105 Squadron

Specifications (Super Mystère B.2)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 14.13 m (46 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 10.51 m (34 ft 6 in)
• Height: 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in)
• Wing area: 32.0 m² (344 ft²)
• Empty weight: 6,390 kg (14,090 lb)
• Loaded weight: 9,000 kg (20,000 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 10,000 kg (22,000 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× SNECMA Atar 101G-2 turbojet
  • Dry thrust: 33.3 kN (7,490 lbf)
  • Thrust with afterburner: 44.1 kN (9,920 lbf)

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 1.12 (1,195 km/h, 743 mph) at 11,000 m (36,000 ft)
• Combat range: 870 km (470 NM, 540 mi)
• Ferry range: 1,175 km (634 NM, 730 mi)
• Service ceiling: 17,000 m (56,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 89 m/s (18,000 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 281 kg/m² (57.6 lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.50

Armament

• Guns: 2× 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA 552 cannons with 150 rounds per gun
• Rockets: 2× Matra rocket pods with 18× SNEB 68 mm rockets each
• Missiles: 2× Rafael Shafrir AAMs; 2× AS-30L
• Bombs: 2,680 kg (5,000 lb) of payload on four external hardpoints, including a variety of bombs, reconnaissance pods or Drop tanks

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Dassault Ouragan

Ouragan
A Dassault Ouragan with French Air Force markings
Role	Fighter-bomber
Manufacturer	Dassault Aviation
Designed by	Marcel Dassault
First flight	28 February 1949
Introduced	1952
Retired	1980s
Primary users	French Air Force Indian Air Force Israeli Air Force El Salvador Air Force

The Dassault M.D.450 Ouragan (French: Hurricane) was the first French-designed jet fighter-bomber to enter production, playing a key role in resurgence of the French aviation industry after World War II. The Ouragan was operated by France, Israel, India and El Salvador. While in Israeli service it participated in both the Suez Crisis and Six-Day War.

Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 2.1 India 2.2 Israel 2.3 El Salvador 3 Variants 4 Operators 5 Survivors 6 Specifications (M.D.450B)

Design and development

As citizens of an occupied country, the French were not able to contribute significantly to the great strides made in aircraft design made during World War II. After the war, aviation designer Marcel Dassault was eager to re-establish the aviation industry with an all-French jet fighter, which was outlined in 1947. The government response to the proposal was positive and prototype construction began soon after the design was finalized.^[1]
Detailed design work on the new aircraft, which was given the designation M.D. (Marcel Dassault) 450, began in October 1947, with construction beginning on 7 April 1948 at Dassault's factory in Saint-Cloud. A French government contract for three prototypes followed on 7 December 1947. The first Ouragan fighter flew on 28 February 1949 with Kostia Rozanoff at the controls.^[2] The M.D.450-01 prototype lacked pressurization, armament, and the distinctive wingtip fuel tanks. Powered by a Rolls-Royce Nene 102 centrifugal-flow jet engine generating 22.27 kN (2,270 kp/5,000 lbf) of thrust, the aircraft reached a top speed of 980 km/h (529 knots, 609 mph) and initial climb rate of 43 m/s (8,465 ft/min) in service trials in 1949. The 450 liter (118.9 US gal) wingtip tanks that would become the indelible feature of all Ouragans first appeared in December 1949. The pressurized second prototype, M.D.450-02, climbed to 15,000 m (49,213 ft), while the third prototype, M.D.450-03, was powered by a Hispano-Suiza-licensed Nene 104 was used in weapons trials with 15 mm and later 20 mm cannon.
In 31 August 1949, French Air Force ordered 15 pre-production aircraft (later reduced to 12), which were eventually used for evaluation of various engines (including SNECMA Atar), armament schemes, and payloads. The contract was signed on 15 December 1949.^[3] These aircraft were to be produced at Dassault's plants outside Paris. On 31 August 1950, Dassault received an order for 150 production Ouragans, with an additional 200 ordered in the following years.^[1]
Four production aircraft modified for rough-field operation with the two-wheel main landing gear with low-pressure tires retracting into a fairing added under the wing roots, and a brake parachute. The configuration was intended for operations in Algeria, and the nickname came from the Arab word "baroud," meaning "battle." First flight 24 February 1954. Despite good performance, the project was abandoned in 1958 with two aircraft converted back to standard Ouragans.

Operational history

The first production Ouragan flew on 5 December 1951. The type entered service with the French Air Force in 1952, replacing the British De Havilland Vampire. The first 50 Ouragans were built as M.D.450A with the Nene 102 engine; the rest were M.D.450B with a Hispano-Suiza-built Nene 104B engine, lighter than the Nene 102 and with slightly greater thrust. Wingtip fuel tanks were fitted as standard in both variants.

MD450 Ouragan on display with wingtip fuel tanks.

Pilots found the Ouragan to be generally pleasant to fly and a stable gun and rocket platform, although due to its short-coupled fuselage, the aircraft had a tendency to snap into a spin in tight turns.^{[citation needed]} However, for two years, the Ouragon successfully performed with la Patrouille de France aerobatic team.
In French service, the Dassault Mystère IV completely replaced the Ouragan by 1961.

India

On 25 June 1953, India ordered 71 Ouragans with the slightly uprated Nene 105 engine, with deliveries starting that year and completed in March 1954. An additional order for 33 second-hand Ouragans in March 1957 brought the total to 104.^[4] The Indians named the aircraft Toofani (Hindi: Hurricane).
The Indian Toofanis faced combat in 1961, when they performed air strikes against the Portuguese colony of Diu on the western coast of India. They were also used in ground attack missions against anti-government rebels in Assam and Nagaland, and in 1962 for reconnaissance missions in the Sino-Indian War. One Toofani strayed over the border with Pakistan on 24 April 1965, and was forced to land by a pair of Pakistani Sabres. While the pilot was returned to India, the aircraft was retained and ended up being displayed at the Pakistan Air Force Museum at Peshawar.^[5]
As was the case in France, the Ouragan started to be replaced in front-line service by the Mystère IVA in 1957, being withdrawn fully from front line service in 1965, although it continued in use for some years as a Target Tug.^[5]

Israel

Ouragan at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim.

In contrast to France and India, the Israeli Air Force was an enthusiastic Ouragan user.^[6] Seeking to augment its jet aircraft force of British Gloster Meteors, IAF initially considered French Dassault Mystère IIC and Canadian-built F-86 Sabre Mk.6 fighters. Due to development problems with the Mystère and a Canadian embargo on the Sabres, the order was changed to Mystère IVAs, with a batch of Ouragans purchased as a stop-gap measure.^[6] By 1955, the IAF had received at least 75 aircraft, comprising a mix of newly-built and retired French Air Force examples.
Israeli Ouragans entered combat on 12 April 1956, shooting down an Egyptian Vampire.^[7] At the onset of the Suez Crisis on 29 October 1956, Ouragans shot down an additional four Vampires. The two documented encounters with Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 fighters (also powered by the Nene engine but with a more modern swept wing) ended with one Ouragan surviving several 37 mm (1.46 in) cannon hits to fly the next day and one MiG-15 being heavily damaged after it entered a turning dogfight with the Ouragans.^[7] The poor training of the Egyptian pilots who were consistently unable to realize their advantage in numbers as well as the MiG-15's speed and climb characteristics helped Ouragans to survive despite their inferior performance.^[7] On 31 October, a pair of Ouragans armed with rockets strafed the Egyptian destroyer Ibrahim-el-Awal (ex-HMS Mendip), resulting in the capture of the ship.
The Ouragans were relegated to advanced training shortly after the Suez Crisis, although they saw more combat in the 1967 Six-Day War. In 1975, the IAF sold 18 Ouragans to El Salvador, where they remained in service until the late 1980s.

El Salvador

In the wake of the Football War of 1969, El Salvador began a concerted push to modernize its air force.^{[citation needed]} Unable to buy combat aircraft from the United States due to a US government arms embargo, the Salvadorans found surplus Israeli Ouragans for sale on the international arms market. These aircraft were refurbished by the Israelis and were delivered to El Salvador between 1973 and 1978.
El Salvador's Ouragans saw extensive combat during the Salvadoran Civil War of 1980-1992. Salvadoran Ouragans flew strike missions against communist FMLN forces, operating from Ilopango airport located near the capital city of San Salvador. As El Salvador is not a large country and combat radius was not a pressing concern, Salvadoran Ouragans in combat usually operated with their wingtip fuel tanks removed in order to save weight and allow for greater weapons loads.
An FMLN sapper attack against Ilopango in 1982 destroyed several Ouragans and accelerated the push to supplant, and eventually replace, the Ouragans with American-made Cessna A-37 Dragonfly aircraft, which were made available after the Reagan Administration dropped the arms embargo. The remaining Ouragans served on for several more years, but were all retired by war's end.
Salvadoran Ouragans have been pictured in several camouflage schemes, and it is possible that during the war the Ouragan fleet operated in colors that were never completely standardized.^{[citation needed]}
At least one survivor of El Salvador's Ouragan fleet is currently on static display, at Ilopango.

Variants

Armée de l'Air Dassault MD 450 Ouragans

M.D.450A 

First 50 production aircraft, Nene 102 engine.

M.D.450B 

Hispano-Suiza-built Nene 104B engine, revised two-section nose landing gear doors as the original four-section design was prone to damage when the cannons were fired.

M.D.450R 

Reconnaissance variant, only one built.

M.D.450-30L 

One pre-production prototype fitted with a SNECMA Atar 101b engine, air intakes on the sides of the fuselage, and two 30 mm DEFA cannon.

Barougan 

Four production aircraft modified for rough-field operation with the two-wheel main landing gear with low-pressure tires retracting into a fairing added under the wing roots, and a brake parachute.

Operators

Foreign Dassault MD 450 Ouragans

 France

• French Air Force

 India

• Indian Air Force

 Israel

• Israeli Air Force

 El Salvador

• El Salvador Air Force

Survivors

MD450 Ouragan at Brussels Air Museum

A number of MD.450 Ouragan examples are preserved in France including #251 and #450/"4-US", part of the jet aircraft collection at Chateau Savigny-lès-Beaune. The Musee de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget Airport has #154/ "4-LT" painted in a colorful "Indian-head" scheme but a previous code is just visible under the 4-LT markings. Ouragan #214/"UG," previously stored, is exhibited in the "Patrouille de France" paint scheme at the "Musée Européen de l'Aviation de Chasse," Montélimar. Israeli Air Force Ouragans "80" and "49", both combat veterans and survivors of the 1956 Suez War and 1967 Six-Day War, are on outdoor display at the Israel Air Force Museum. An MD.450 Ouragan (Toofani), "IC 554," is on display at the Indian Air Force Museum, Palam, New Delhi. It was painted earlier in grey-green camouflage but now appears in natural metal in No. 47 "Black Archers" Squadron markings. In El Salvador, two Ouragans are in display in the Museo Nacional de Aviación, in Ilopango Air Base.

Specifications (M.D.450B)

Data from ^[7] & ^[8]

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 10.73 m (35 ft 2 in)
• Wingspan: 13.16 m (43 ft 2 in)
• Height: 4.14 m (13 ft 7 in)
• Wing area: 23.8 m² (256.2 ft²)
• Aspect ratio: 7.3:1
• Empty weight: 4 142 kg (9,132 lb)
• Loaded weight: 7 404 kg (16,323 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 7 900 kg (17,416 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Nene 104B turbojet, 22.2 kN (4,990 lbf)

Performance

• Never exceed speed: Mach 0.83
• Maximum speed: 940 km/h (508 knots, 584 mph) (Mach 0.76) at sea level
• Cruise speed: 750 km/h (405 knots, 465 mph)
• Combat radius: 450 km (245 nm, 280 mi)
• Ferry range: 920 km (500 nm, 570 mi)
• Service ceiling: 13 000 m (42,650 ft)
• Rate of climb: 38 m/s (7,480 ft/min)
• Takeoff distance: 783 m (2,570 ft)
• Landing distance: 910 m (2,985 ft)

Armament

• Guns: 4× 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannon with 125 rounds per gun
• Rockets: 16× 105 mm (4.1 in) Brandt T-10 air-to-ground unguided rockets; or, 2× Matra rocket pods with 18× SNEB 68 mm rockets each
• Bombs: 2,270 kg (5,000 lb) of payload on four external hardpoints, including a variety of unguided iron bombs such as 2× 454 kg (1,000 lb) bombs or 2× 458 liter (121 US gallon) napalm bombs or Drop tanks for extended range.

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